I passed my ASCP MT!

I graduated with my CLS degree in March, but I was not comfortable taking my test right away though I had applied for my exam before I even graduated. I was terrified. I studied for about an hour a day if that and somedays not at all. I took 2 days off before the exam and basically studied as much as my brain would let me. The day of the test I was so nervous I was shaking (I could barely get fingerprinted I was shaking so bad). I have heard this test was going to be one of the toughest exams I have ever taken. Once I started taking it was I was getting more and more relieved as I was flying through the questions, I finished the exam in 40 minutes out of the 2.5 hours they give you to take it. Since I had so much time on my hands I went back through the exam a couple times to ensure I did not misread questions and answers, I did end up changing some answers. But for some reason when I was ready to submit my test I was not at all nervous. Low and behold I indeed passed. I just wanted to post this discussion to let everyone know the excitement and refief I feel right now. Good luck to everyone that I about the take the MT!!!

Congrates, you have a ample amount of opp out there and you can work anywhere in America, you are not limited like other certifications.

The fact that you have your MT, skies the limit for you.

Thanks, I have about 10 years left in the military and then I will retire. I hope the job market is better then!

amara in Tallahassee, Florida said: I graduated with my CLS degree in March, but I was not comfortable taking my test right away though I had applied for my exam before I even graduated. I was terrified. I studied for about an hour a day if that and somedays not at all. I took 2 days off before the exam and basically studied as much as my brain would let me. The day of the test I was so nervous I was shaking (I could barely get fingerprinted I was shaking so bad). I have heard this test was going to be one of the toughest exams I have ever taken. Once I started taking it was I was getting more and more relieved as I was flying through the questions, I finished the exam in 40 minutes out of the 2.5 hours they give you to take it. Since I had so much time on my hands I went back through the exam a couple times to ensure I did not misread questions and answers, I did end up changing some answers. But for some reason when I was ready to submit my test I was not at all nervous. Low and behold I indeed passed. I just wanted to post this discussion to let everyone know the excitement and refief I feel right now. Good luck to everyone that I about the take the MT!!!

Hi! Congratulations, also I'm preparing to take my exam, but I would like to know if you took some course or you have a good book to study? I apreciate your information, thanks

laura in San Diego, California said: Hi! Congratulations, also I'm preparing to take my exam, but I would like to know if you took some course or you have a good book to study? I apreciate your information, thanks

Hi, I studied the Quick Review flash cards by Valerie Dietz Polansky, the Clinical Lab Science Review by Robert Harr 3rd edition and the NCA Review Book for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 4th Edition by Dr. Susan Beck. The 2 books are very good with explaining the right answers and why the other choices are wrong and they also came with a CD-ROM with a extra questions. I did not study the ASCP green book at all.

amara in Tallahassee, Florida said: Hi, I studied the Quick Review flash cards by Valerie Dietz Polansky, the Clinical Lab Science Review by Robert Harr 3rd edition and the NCA Review Book for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 4th Edition by Dr. Susan Beck. The 2 books are very good with explaining the right answers and why the other choices are wrong and they also came with a CD-ROM with a extra questions. I did not study the ASCP green book at all.

Congrats on passing! I am going to be scheduling the exam soon. How many questions are given on the exam to be completed in 2 ½ hours? Thanks

Tina in Beaverton, Oregon said: Congrats on passing! I am going to be scheduling the exam soon. How many questions are given on the exam to be completed in 2 ½ hours? Thanks

There are only 100 questions on the exam, good luck!

amara in Tallahassee, Florida said: Thanks, I have about 10 years left in the military and then I will retire. I hope the job market is better then!

Hi Amara. I am about to enter a CLS program here in good ole Southern California. I do however plan on going Military once I am done and have passed my boards as well. You mentioned you passed yours..CONGRATS. However, I wanted to ask you if you will finished your military career as a commissioned officer CLS/MT? Military websites dont give much info for this allied health profession other than the basics. any other info would help. thanks.

CLS-HOPEFUL in Glendale, California said: Hi Amara. I am about to enter a CLS program here in good ole Southern California. I do however plan on going Military once I am done and have passed my boards as well. You mentioned you passed yours..CONGRATS. However, I wanted to ask you if you will finished your military career as a commissioned officer CLS/MT? Military websites dont give much info for this allied health profession other than the basics. any other info would help. thanks.

Hi, yes, I will finish my out my career in the miltary since I am required to complete 10 years once I get commissioned and all I have is 11 years left in the military so its perfect. As far as becoming a comissioned officer I will basically be a lab manager of a lab and there will be little to no bench work. Enlisted military perform the majority of the benchwork and the higher enlisted persons can either perform as a section supervisor or assist the officer in running the lab.

Hi Amara, congrats you pass the big exam. Was is that hard as you thought? Did the exam covered all fields of laboratories including immunohematology, clinical chemistry, mircobiology,urino and hematology? Cause, some of applicants took 60%-70% of chemistry or hemotology on their exam. Did the exam show up a lot of cases? Which book did you ues? I am preparing the MT exam now, and I am soooo nerves to take the exam. The words you drscribed I feel exactly the same.

I took the exam last year when I graduated CLS school. All of my class mates that took the ascp said it was different % for their test. I had alot more BB, my classmate had much more immunology, since this test is on a teir system, you need a certain # of hard questions correct for you to pass.

If you get mostly easy question you have most likely failed, I had so many hard questions bc it was getting harder and harder every time you got a correct answer. By the end of the test I thought I failed, but I passed. I mostly used my notes from my university cls program.

So if you get mostly hard questions, most likely you have passed.

The best time to take the exam is after you grad from a naacls acred CLS program
. There is a higher pass rate if you take it right away upon graduation.

If you do it on your own, it will be challenging bc it's a computerized test and they can throw ANYTHING at you, so it's hard to study from books or flashcards. It's been done but it will be difficult.

Most programs in the US are based on passing the ASCP upon graduation.

happybigfeet in Watsonville, California said: Hi Amara, congrats you pass the big exam. Was is that hard as you thought? Did the exam covered all fields of laboratories including immunohematology, clinical chemistry, mircobiology,urino and hematology? Cause, some of applicants took 60%-70% of chemistry or hemotology on their exam. Did the exam show up a lot of cases? Which book did you ues? I am preparing the MT exam now, and I am soooo nerves to take the exam. The words you drscribed I feel exactly the same.

You will do fine. I remember my exam had equal questions from Chemistry, Hematology, Micro, and Blood bank (4 antibody ID panels). There was maybe one mycology question and 2 urinalysis questions. But I hear that the parts of the test are different for everyone. I found the questions were not case study like, but more of 1-2 sentence questions with the answers being very simple. I studied the Quick Review flash cards by Valerie Dietz Polansky, the Clinical Lab Science Review by Robert Harr 3rd edition and the NCA Review Book for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 4th Edition by Dr. Susan Beck. The 2 books are very good with explaining the right answers and why the other choices are wrong and they also came with a CD-ROM with a extra questions. I did not study the ASCP green book at all. Good Luck!

I just graduated from a NAACLS accredited program and I am taking the ASCP in 3 days. I studied from class notes and from the Harr 3rd edition review book and from the CD included. Can you give an example of a question they asked? What did you get on the test?

To tell you the truth I can't remember an exact question from the test, I pretty much brain-dumped...I know they were 1-2 questions. I scored a 620

I took the NCA today. It was toughest exam i have ever taken. Did not get a pass/fail result, it told me I have wait a "few weeks", which sucks! I'm taking the ASCP tomorrow, hopefully it's not as hard.

I have taken both and passed both, the NCA was harder than the ASCP. At least we don't have to worry about which test to take now, they will merge in a couple of months and there will only be one cert student and employers will look for now.

I took the NCA immunohematology exam today also.It was very hard.I feel like I did all of that studying for nothing.At the end, the score report says that you have to wait a few weeks for your score.I feel like that is a bad sign.

cmoney in Providence, Rhode Island said: I took the NCA today. It was toughest exam i have ever taken. Did not get a pass/fail result, it told me I have wait a "few weeks", which sucks! I'm taking the ASCP tomorrow, hopefully it's not as hard.

Did you end up passing the NCA?

cmoney in Providence, Rhode Island said: I took the NCA today. It was toughest exam i have ever taken. Did not get a pass/fail result, it told me I have wait a "few weeks", which sucks! I'm taking the ASCP tomorrow, hopefully it's not as hard.

Did you end up passing the NCA exam?

I just scheduled my exam. It will take place in less than two weeks. I'm way scared because it's taken me a long time to get where I am and the thought of failing would be unbearable! I'll be back later on this forum with an update. Thanks for the input!

Does anyone know of review courses for MT ASCP type exams? I was told there used to be one at Stony Brook in NY a few years ago, but can not find any information about it now.

Iam going to take ASCP in microbiology. Can someone suggest good review book?

Hi kavitha , I did my in masters in microbiology in India, could u please tell me what is the route u took for applying ascp in microbiology .

I am taking my ASCP for the first time June 24. I have studied from the Valerie Dietz book but not the cards. I graduated in 1990 but in the state of Florida the only license required was the state of Florida licensure. I am very nervous. I have not studied in 20 years. Any advise?

Evie in Valrico, Florida said: I am taking my ASCP for the first time June 24. I have studied from the Valerie Dietz book but not the cards. I graduated in 1990 but in the state of Florida the only license required was the state of Florida licensure. I am very nervous. I have not studied in 20 years. Any advise?

good luck!!

"old" MT....need to take Ca. Immunohem. Exam. Any study guides or online simulators you can recommend? Is test mostly theory, or case studies/panels?

Hi lsajja,

Could you please share your knowledge as to how to persue ASCP with Masters degree in microbiology from India.

Your help will be highly appreciated!

Thanks

lsajja in Atlanta, Georgia said: Hi kavitha , I did my in masters in microbiology in India, could u please tell me what is the route u took for applying ascp in microbiology .

Hi Kavitha,

Please share your knowledge as to how to persue ASCP with Masters degree in microbiology from India.

Your help will be highly appreciated!

Thanks

Kavitha in Wheeling, Illinois said: Iam going to take ASCP in microbiology. Can someone suggest good review book?

I have passed my ASCP in microbiology
Angelin

Could I add to this discussion?
I am an MT who needs a CLS license in BBank in Ca.
Any insight on which exam I need to take(I got MT many years ago), and review/study guides...
Thanks....
Eager to be able to practice here like I can in 48 of the other states!